Last week the PA House of Representatives unanimously voted to pass Senate Bill 1095, legislation that provides alternatives to Keystone Exams for students. The bill offers students who may not have scored proficient on the Exams alternative pathways to demonstrate their readiness to graduate.
The alternatives will allow students to prove their proficiency in the knowledge and skills relevant to their individual careers. Since standardized tests do not always allow for this flexibility, SB 1095 offers options for students to prove graduation readiness. Some options include:
· Meeting or exceeding the state-specified composite score across all three Keystone Exams with at least one proficient score and two basic.
· Meeting or exceeding locally established grade-based proficiency in the academic subject areas of the Keystone Exams, and either proving a proficient score in Keystone Exam subject areas of an AP/IB exam, SAT, PSAT, ACT, ASVAR, admission to a 4-year institute of higher education with proof of enrollment, successful completion of a pre-apprentice program, or receiving a passing grade in a duel-enrollment course of Math, Science or English.
· Meeting Career and Technical Education requirements and providing additional evidence of readiness.
· Meeting local grade requirements in Keystone Exam subject areas, and providing additional evidence of readiness through higher education enrollment, other higher education proficiency exams, proof of full-time employment related to career plans or successful completion of internships or co-ops.
SB 1095 allows students to prove their readiness to graduate by not just being a test score, and instead provides them an opportunity to show their personal strengths and career interests through proof of their immediate career plans or military service, as well as plans to attend an institute of higher education.
This legislation also removes the need for remediation for the Exams if the above alternatives and proof of their likelihood of post-graduation success are achieved.
Through the bi-partisan effort achieved in developing the provisions and amendments of SB 1095, it is expected to receive final approval from the Senate before if moves onto the Governor for his signature.
